Races

Scott Embry’s Saturday Ascot Preview

Posted on | Posted by Scott Embry

RACE 1

HEZ GOT THE SAFE has always shown plenty of promise at trials and races and might just be starting to put it all together. Showed a good turn of foot to gun them down in a 1200m maiden and then was drawn to get back/wide on a heavy fence/rails in run meeting a fortnight later. Love the way he got to the line and meets key rival Storyville 1kg better from a more favourable draw. STORYVILLE took full advantage of the on speed dominance at that meeting and never looked like being beaten. Nice filly. TRUE APOSTLE won well in this grade last start and takes up a prominent spot again. ARCADIA PARK hasn’t been seen for 6 weeks since his impressive 3 year old Plate win.

Numbers: 5 – 8 – 1 – 3

Suggested Bet – HEZ GOT THE SAFE EACHWAY

RACE 2

CLASSIC ROGUE finally broke through last start when he was able to land 1×1 and make his run when Brad Parnham wanted too. Looks mapped to get a very similar scenario here and likely settles in front of his main dangers. Tracks the speed following Exceltrain and from there gets every chance to go back to back. IN GOOD ORDER will slowly work his way up in distance as he attacks the 2025 Perth Cup on New Years Day. He’s winding up with a really strong L600 at the minute and will no doubt be charging at them late. CAPTAIN PLUTO has become really costly for punters going under at $1.85, $1.45, $1.80 and $1.90 his last four. EXCELTRAIN is in front for a long way.

Numbers: 3 – 4 – 2 – 5

Suggested Bet – CLASSIC ROGUE EACHWAY

RACE 3

MISS SKYHIGH and ARCADIA KNIGHT both come through the same race behind Count The Sessions last Saturday at Ascot Opening Day and were both completely luckless. Neither got much galloping room from the 600 to the finishing post and both looked to have something to offer. Going to give MISS SKYHIGH one more chance getting out to 1600m and backing up off 7 days. ARCADIA KNIGHT has found it hard to win across his career but is racing well. GRAND RESERVE should be able to cross to the top and control. He can win from there. CIVVY STREET is going better than it looks.

Numbers: 4 – 9 – 3 – 7

Suggested Bet – MISS SKYHIGH WIN

RACE 4

DATE WITHTHE DEVIL has turned a corner. Got back on a leader dominated program at Bunbury, rode (and gave) a decent hip and shoulder on straightening and then savaged the line. Up in grade but looks a horse full of confidence in a wide-open race. BOHEMIAN DIAMOND has come back bigger and better this preparation and has had a little freshen in an attempt to get her right through to the Fillies & Mares Series if she continues to raise the bar. Will need luck though. CORN COB hasn’t seen a race of this nature since his Geraldton Days back in late 2022/early 2023. Brilliantly placed and racing well. PROFIT POCKET went from an Esperance maiden to a 60+ Graduation in 4 runs last campaign.

Numbers: 12 – 8 – 1 – 9

Suggested Bet – DATE WITHTHE DEVIL EACHWAY

RACE 5

MISS FLIRTACIOUS showed a good turn of foot in the straight to score first-up and then last week went around in one of the deepest 66+ races that Ascot will see all season alongside the likes of Cosmic Crusader / Esprit Garcon / Brave Spirit / Wubin Gold / Keep Attacking / Sentimental Belle / Chollima / Deamber / Eliteone. Backing up off 7 days and can stalk King’s Honour in the run. KING’S HONOUR beat her home the last time they met over 1000m and his recent trial suggests he’s ready to rock and roll. High speed his asset. DRAKAINA makes her WA debut off a strong trial win. Looks a really nice mare. CRIPPALENKO won the Ron Sayers Sprint fresh.

Numbers: 11 – 9 – 8 – 4

Suggested Bet – MISS FLIRTACIOUS WIN

RACE 6

RICHANCO has won three from four so far in his career and his only defeat came at the hands of subsequent Racontuer Stakes winner Brave Spirit and the talented Chollima. Was nothing more than a track gallop for him on return on a leader dominated program at Bunbury and while this is a fair bit tougher, he looks very progressive. BLUE ROCKET comes back to 1200m and maps to enjoy the run of the race 1×1. Getting close to another win. REGAL STATUE is dangerous with a late split. BONDI PLUNGE was held up at crucial stages under 59kg last start in a forgive run.

Numbers: 5 – 7 – 11 – 3

Suggested Bet – RICHANCO WIN

RACE 7 

BABY PARIS looks a wonderful eachway bet in the Crawford. With Bravo Centurion, Puli and Sinful Living all likely to want the fence she just needs to step cleanly to take advantage of that early speed battle and lob into a beautiful spot right in behind them. Trialled well (without blinkers) and is very well suited at SWP as a m99 rated mare with only 55.5kg. Like the set up, like the price. GEMMA’S SON beat Oscar’s Fortune at SWP in the inaugural running of the Bluff Knoll and then was only 3.3L off him, Amelia’s Jewel and Ripcord in a Roma Cup. He’s the forgotten horse. BRAVO CENTURION faces his toughest test to date. LIVE TO TELL looks a shade of her former self but blinkers do go on.

Numbers: 6 – 2 – 10 – 7

Suggested Bet – BABY PARIS EACHWAY

Same Race Multi – Baby Paris (Top 3) + Gemma’s Son (Top 4)

The 2024 RS Crawford Stakes is a mess – the favourite is coming out of a 66+ and horribly in at the weights, the second favourite is a filly with 49kg drawn wide with plenty of speed underneath her and the older horses are very forgotten in betting. Baby Paris looks a huge price for a proven SWP mare who trialled well for her return and Gemma’s Son is a more than capable sprinter who goes well fresh. Think they both run well at odds.

RACE 8

MAGNIFICENT ANDY has been below his best in the Farnley and Black Hart Bart Stakes but he 1) gets back to Ascot; 2) gets back out to 1400m; and 3) draws a gate. He looks the big improver on paper and in a race where you could make legitimate cases for nearly three quarters of the field he’s going to hold up at a double figure price. SEARCHIN’ ROC’S is one of the best suited horses under SWP but drew a lemon. In a capacity line-up three deep train isn’t the worst spot, just hope she isn’t leading it up. MOOD SWINGS has been underrated his entire career and parks in the breeze outside Phanta again. VAST ART exploded in the Hannans Handicap after sitting 4 deep from the 800.

Numbers: 5 – 14 – 8 – 11

Suggested Bet – MAGNIFICENT ANDY EACHWAY

RACE 9

CHOLLIMA and ELITEONE were both held up the entire length of the home straight last week in the Cosmic Crusader Race. 7 days later they both back-up into a 1400m and will no doubt have plenty of replay watchers excited. Thought CHOLLIMA travelled into it like she had plenty to offer and she’s a mare who has always promised to go right through her grades. ELITEONE has backed up once previously for victory and is in career best form. WATCH ME ROCK has blinkers on first time and could park outside He’s Gold if necessary. ANTIQUE MISS trialled super and was nominated for the Eurythmic Stakes.

Numbers: 11 – 10 – 6 – 2

Suggested Bet – CHOLLIMA WIN

Quaddie (Race 6 – 9)

5,7,11

2,6,7,10

4,5,8,11,14,15

2,6,10,11

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